This little experiment may help me convert to a southerner. I will always be a Jersey girl at heart, but I’ve got so many southern relatives now that I feel I should try a little southern every now and again.

Mom let me borrow a recipe or two that she cut out of Southern Living and this Chicken and Dumplings came from there. Since I can never follow a recipe exactly, my version is below.

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 egg
1/2 oz grated parmesan cheese (probably less since I didn’t measure it )
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
Pepper to taste
Salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

Combine everything up to the flour together and mix until smooth. Add the flour just until incorporated. Fill quart size storage bag and cut one corner of the bag to make a piping bag. Pipe by 1/2 to 1 inch ribbons (I use kitchen scissors to cut) into boiling water. This was done in batches to give the dumplings room. Cook until they gloat to the surface then remove with a slotted spoon.

3 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless is what I used

Cook in a skillet with a 1/2 cup water or stock until cooked. Remove from heat, let cool a little and shred. (I did the cooking of the chicken while I mixed the dumplings)

2 pats butter (about 1 tablespoon)
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/8 cup flour
2 cups vegetable broth
Thyme, sage and oregano – I put mine in a tea bag for easy removal, but you can use cheese cloth, tie with a string, etc)

Melt butter in the skillet used to cook the chicken. Add celery and carrots. Cook a few minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic send cook about one minute. Add wine and stir until pan is deglazed and wine is reduced to almost half. Sprinkle flour over vegetables send stir. Put in herbs and stock/broth and stir to combine. Let boil then cover and reduce heat and cover. Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Remove herbs and add chicken and dumplings. Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

If you have some fresh herbs, sprinkle over the top before serving. Otherwise, divide into two bowls and enjoy.

As for wine, I always go with one that I would drink. I usually use a Kitchen Sink white table wine (it is surprisingly good for a ten dollar white table wine) but today I used a white Bordeaux.

have to say, I really like this one. A little grapefruit flavor, but a nice round wine. Just enough acid and tang with no oak or bitter notes.

Yes, I did use a French wine for my Southern dish. But like I said, I am a Jersey girl. 🙂